Mining Asteroids

There are about 9,000 asteroids described as "near-Earth", 700 to 800 of which are easier to reach and land on than the moon, and they are loaded with valuable minerals.

Elements such as gold and platinum can be found on some asteroids. But water, silicon, nickel, and iron are the elements expected to become central to the coming space "economy".

Water can be "mined" for its hydrogen (a fuel) and oxygen (needed for humans in space), while silicon can be used for solar power systems, and the ubiquitous nickel and iron for potential space manufacturing.